Cheese
2192 recipes found
Sheet-Pan Pizza With Asparagus and Arugula
You might be tempted to call this a focaccia, not pizza, and you might be right, but it probably falls somewhere in between. Store-bought pizza dough can be a real time-saver, but if you can’t find it refrigerated, you’ll need to plan ahead to defrost frozen dough. Defrosting is best done for 24 hours or so in the fridge — or longer, as the dough will continue to ferment and improve in flavor after a day or two. The dough is easier to stretch if it’s not ice cold, so let it come to room temperature. The pancetta can be omitted for vegetarians, but the lemony herb and arugula salad on top is not to be missed.
Chocolate Cheesecake With Graham Cracker Crunch
It’s worth tasting a few brands of graham crackers to find one you particularly like — preferably one with whole-wheat flour and a good dash of salt and honey or molasses. Try a health-food store or Whole Foods for organic and low-sugar brands. (Graham flour was devised in the 19th century as a healthful alternative to white flour.) Fresh, fluffy cream cheese with a minimum of fillers and stabilizers is also worth seeking out for this recipe. This recipe works fine with supermarket cream cheese and graham cracker crumbs (or dark chocolate cookie crumbs) in the crust, but the filling must be made with top-quality chocolate to get the full effect: milky cream cheese, tangy sour cream and the slight bitterness of chocolate playing against the sweet crunch of the crust. That’s how it’s been made since 1984 at the Saltry restaurant in Halibut Cove, off the southern Alaska coast. All of the ingredients (as well as the equipment, furniture, staff and customers) arrive by boat — except for the magnificent salmon, oysters, halibut, cod and mussels that are caught or harvested nearby.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
This bright and beautiful Southern staple has a hint of chocolate flavor that’s paired with a cream cheese frosting, keeping it from being too sweet. Part of red velvet cake’s allure is how moist it is, owing to the vegetable oil in the batter. (Oil-based cakes are often more tender than butter-based counterparts.) You can make these into even smaller cupcakes — this recipe yields twice as many mini cupcakes — just reduce the cooking time accordingly. And if you want your cake even lighter in texture, sift the flour before you mix it in.
Bricklayer-Style Nachos
Bricklayer-style beef, or puntas al albañil, made with tender pieces of beef, salty bacon and sometimes chorizo in a chunky fire-roasted salsa, is a beloved taco filling in Mexico. Once a common snack available near construction sites in central Mexico, it became popular beyond street food stands, expanding into homes and restaurants over the years. Here it’s used as the foundation for nachos, topped with mounds of melted cheese, tangy queso fresco, creamy avocado and crunchy scallions for a hearty, delicious meal.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
This dessert delivers all the warm spices of pumpkin pie along with the tangy creaminess of cheesecake. To help the filling come together easily, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature, and refrain from mixing on high, which will incorporate too much air, causing the cheesecake to rise, then fall. The cake is finished in the oven with the heat turned off; that gentle reduction in heat eliminates the need for a water bath and reduces the likelihood of cracks or a grainy texture.
Citrusy Cheesecake
The nice thing about this cheesecake is that it doesn’t require a water bath or any sort of special baking pan: More shallow than a traditional version, it gets baked right in a pie plate (or tart pan, if you’ve got that). While there are zest and juice inside the cream cheese filling, it’s the fresh sliced citrus on top that makes this cake Creamsicle-like, so don’t skip it. The ultimate do-ahead dessert, this cheesecake can be baked three or so days in advance, just make sure to wrap it tightly as cream cheese tends to easily pick up on that “fridge” scent.
Gruyère and Chive Soufflé
This soufflé is as classic as they come, with beaten egg whites folded into a rich, cheese laden béchamel for flavor and stability. Gruyère is the traditional cheese used for soufflé, but a good aged Cheddar would also work nicely. This makes a great lunch or brunch dish. This recipe is part of The New Essentials of French Cooking, a guide to definitive dishes every modern cook should master.
Japanese Cheesecake
Japanese cheesecakes, sometimes called soufflé or cotton cheesecakes, have a melt-in-the-mouth texture that’s like a classic cheesecake crossed with an ethereal sponge cake. This one, adapted from Joanne Chang of Boston’s Flour Bakery, has bright lemon tanginess and crème fraîche richness as well. It’s best made the day before you plan to serve it, and will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Serve it plain and minimalist, with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar on top, or with fresh berries for added color and juiciness.
Roasted Zucchini With Garlicky Bread Crumbs and Mozzarella
In this highly zesty recipe, thick slices of zucchini are broiled until golden and tender, then topped with milky mozzarella and bread crumbs flecked with anchovy and garlic. While it bakes, the cheese melts, the crumbs crisp and the whole thing becomes vaguely reminiscent of a lighter parmigiana — but without the frying. If you’re feeding more than two, this recipe can be doubled. Just make sure to use two rimmed baking pans so the zucchini doesn't overlap and become soggy. If you have Castelvetrano olives, use them here; they add nice crunch and color.
Creamy Zucchini and Bacon Pasta
Zucchini, bacon and cheese come together to create a delightfully smoky, creamy weeknight pasta meal. Two pounds of chopped zucchini simmer in rendered bacon fat, absorbing the rich and salty-sweet flavors. You can use zucchini from your supermarket, or any combination of summer squash from the farmers’ market, like golden zucchini, crookneck or patty pan. A finish of butter and Parmesan enrich the sauce, adding lusciousness, and a squeeze of lemon brightens the dish.
Braised Eggs With Zucchini, Feta and Lemon
This dish is a celebration of zucchini, and it can be served any time of the day, really, either on its own or with some good bread to dip into the runny yolks. Although the zucchini blossoms make this look particularly bright and festive, the recipe would work just fine without them. If your zucchini blossoms come with stems or small zucchini attached, simply slice them up and slow-cook them with the rest of the sliced zucchini.
Spaghetti al Limone With Shrimp
There are many interpretations of the classic Italian pasta dish, spaghetti al limone, or spaghetti with lemon. Some call for an Alfredo-like sauce made with heavy cream, butter and Parmesan, while others rely on just olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan and starchy pasta water. This particular recipe, which adds sautéed shrimp, white wine and fresh tarragon to the mix, leans toward the simpler preparation. Without the addition of heavy cream, the sauce has a brighter lemon flavor, which works beautifully with the delicate brininess of the shrimp. Tarragon adds a fragrant note and a bit of complexity to an otherwise fairly straightforward dish. Finally, if there were a time to spring for freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, this would be it. In an uncomplicated recipe like this one, the quality of each ingredient is paramount.
Tomato and Zucchini Casserole With Crisp Cheddar Topping
This casserole is a modern twist on an old favorite, the tomato-zucchini bake. But instead of a Parmesan and bread-crumb topping, this one is covered in a savory oat and Cheddar crumble that crisps and browns in the oven. Dollops of garlicky, herbed ricotta make the casserole wonderfully rich and creamy, while olives liven it up with their salty tang. This is equally good warm or at room temperature, preferably served within four hours of baking so the topping stays crunchy. Or you could make it the night before and reheat it in a 375-degree oven until bubbling. It makes an excellent side dish or meatless main course.
Lemony Zucchini Slaw
This salad of julienned zucchini is dressed in yogurt and tossed with a generous amount of lemon juice and zest. Use as many bright herbs as possible, or a single herb if you prefer, and chop them at the last minute.
Zucchini and Tomato Tartlets With a Cheddar Crust
These individual tartlets have a Cheddar-spiked, buttery crust holding a filling of honey-drizzled roasted vegetables and creamy ricotta. You can use any roasted vegetables here, changing up the mix to suit the seasons. Late summer is perfect for some combination of zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and even corn. Then try the likes of winter squash, brussels sprouts and mushrooms in fall; cabbage, onions and other root vegetables in winter, and sautéed greens and asparagus in spring. If you’re planning ahead, you can make the dough up to five days in advance and roast the vegetables the day before (store them in the refrigerator). But do try to bake these on the same day as serving. They are at their best still warm.
Seared Zucchini With Crispy Parmesan and Black Pepper
This summery side dish is inspired by the flavors of cacio e pepe, Rome’s beloved pasta dish. Zucchini or summer squash is seared in a very hot pan until golden, and while it cooks, coarsely ground black pepper is separately toasted and butter is added to brown. (Be sure to salt your zucchini just before you add it to the hot pan — not sooner — as they can release water and become mushy if salted and left to sit.) If you can, take the time to grate your own Parmesan for a lighter, almost pillowy-like consistency that melts into the butter and forms chewy-like nuggets of cheese. (This will not be a smooth, emulsified sauce.) Like many good summer dishes, this one is finished with torn basil. Serve with a side of grilled sausages or pearled couscous tossed with pesto. A tumbler of rosé would make this dinner worthy of eating outside on the back porch, dish in lap.
Greek Zucchini Fritters
These zucchini fritters are based on a recipe I learned from the cookbook author Diane Kochilas. A classic mezze served in Greek taverna, they’re like a Greek version of latkes.
Summer Pasta With Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil
A summer pasta should be simple and fresh, ideally made with vegetables straight from the garden or market. Look for the best artisanal ricotta; top-quality ingredients make all the difference here.
Pasta With Zucchini, Feta and Fried Lemon
This is a less saucy, more pasta-salad-like pasta, which is to say it’s best served at room temperature after being carted to an outdoor location and eaten directly from the container. The zucchini mixture should be deeply flavorful and concentrated, rather than loose or watery. If you’re looking for something saucier, add more olive oil (not pasta water) as needed to coat each piece of pasta before serving.
Sweet Potato and Gruyère Gratin
This rich, cheese-laden gratin is a more savory take on the usual Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole, with sage and rosemary giving it an herbal bite. If you'd like to make it partway ahead, you can peel and slice the potatoes the day before; store in a sealable plastic bag in the fridge. You can also simmer the cream mixture (don’t add eggs) and grate the cheese the day before as well, storing them covered in the refrigerator.
Pasta With Seared Zucchini and Ricotta Salata
My favorite summer pasta toppings split the difference between salad and sauce. They should be chunky and filled with plenty of vegetables and herbs like a pasta salad, yet still be thoroughly seasoned and well integrated. Ideally, the pasta-to-vegetable ratio should be about equal; light, bright and fresh is what I’m after. This recipe is an example.
Zucchini Frico
It may be daunting to imagine, but this dish is really quite simple. All you do is take some good hard cheese, grate it, spread it in a nonstick pan and let it melt until it turns golden. Montasio is traditional, but Parmesan, asiago or a young, not too salty pecorino will all work well, too, so use whatever you have. You can form frico into small individual crackers for neater serving, or you can make one large cracker the size of your pan and break it apart as you devour it. Frico on its own doesn’t need much embellishment. All it truly requires is a chilled cocktail or a glass of Italian white wine served alongside. But this one incorporates zucchini. First, I browned thin rounds of zucchini in olive oil, then I topped them with the cheese and let them cook. It took only five minutes, plus another minute or so to let the cheese crisp up after I turned it out of the pan.
Spicy Sweet Potato and Cheddar Croquettes
Sweet potatoes and cheese are flavored with cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper and cayenne for warmth, smokiness and a little bit of a kick. Once these croquettes are breaded and deep fried, a crisp crust delicately encapsulates the soft and gooey mixture within. They are very straightforward to prepare, but the process makes them a labor of love, perfect for entertaining or simply showing off your kitchen prowess.
Creamy Pasta With Roasted Zucchini, Almonds and Basil
Whole-grain pasta offerings on supermarket shelves have expanded with gusto. Unlike the gluey, good-for-you-but-not-your-tastebuds pastas of yore, the best whole-grain brands are firm-textured and tasty. The warm, nutty flavor of varieties like these is robust enough to stand up to intense, complicated sauces, yet satisfying with just a little butter and Parmesan shaved over the top. Here, pasta with creamy goat cheese and a bite of citrus is enough to keep even the most staunch of whole-wheat opponents satisfied.